What older people tell us about the role of physical activity in the management of depression

Reports on a study which set out to explore the way in which older people admitted to hospital with depression experience exercise groups and the manner in which they engage in physical activity once discharged. Eleven participants aged 69 to 86 years were purposively selected using exercise group attendance records. The findings from this study support the use of exercise groups for older people admitted to hospital with depression. Community based interventions designed to promote physical activity in older people recovering from mental illness are most likely to be effective if they address individually identified functional goals and take into account the social needs of the older service users.